Although it is not as popular as the treadmill or the exercise bike, the stair climber provides a most difficult workout regardless of your level of fitness. Also known as a stair machine, stair stepper, and stair master, this machine will give you one of the toughest cardiovascular workouts around. You will really feel the burn in your lower body after just a few minutes particularly if you have never used one before.
A problem that most people face is that the stair climber workout is too difficult to actually achieve the optimal stair climber benefits. In order to achieve an effective workout, you need to be engaged in activity for 20-40 minutes and many people are unable to do this on stair climbers because they are so challenging. So it is important to take it slow in the beginning and gradually build into it. Stair Masters offer a number of different types of workouts so choose a less difficult one at first and then increase the level of difficulty over time. That is the only way to achieve results.
When it comes to any exercise, it is important to maintain proper form, and this idea is no different when it comes to stair climber exercise equipment. It is important to try to maintain good posture. This can become exceedingly difficult as you get more tired but that doesn’t reduce the importance of proper form on a stair master. If it gets difficult it is better to reduce the speed rather than losing your form so bear that in mind when you start to feel like you need to lean on the stair machine to keep going.
It is easier said than done but here are a few tips for maintaining the proper form while using a stair climber. It might even be a good idea to keep these in front of stair climbers so that you can refer to them when the going gets tough.
Proper Form on a Stair Stepper
- Prior to getting on the stair machine, do some stretches as this helps prevent injuries and warms your body up so that it doesn’t go from zero to sixty too quickly.
- Make sure that your back is straight. It is very tempting to lean on the handle bars or on the control panel when you get tired but this can result in injuries so try to maintain good posture throughout the workout.
- Do not pick your toes up from the pedals. It is best to have a firm footing so you will want to keep your entire foot planted. It can be tempting to push off with your toes while using a stair climber but this is not the way to achieve optimal results.
- Maintain a steady stride and try not to go all the way up or all the way down but rather use a steady, moderate stride.
- Build up gradually and do not bite off more than you can chew. Start out doing less than you think you can handle and over time you can work up to faster speeds and longer times but doing too much too fast can spell trouble in the long run.
The stair climber is challenging for even the most seasoned athlete so even if it is difficult at first, hang in there and know that it will get easier. Enjoy the workout and getting in shape.
There are no easy ways to fitness but when you have a plan and a healthy approach it will make the journey more doable. So use these tips to get going and then don’t stop but always enjoy the ride.